I have not read all the others replies.

You need to get excited about this journey.
Go read Dr. Tran's Book.

http://www.trantiendiet.com/site/IMG...re_Dr_Tran.pdf

I am reading it right now and getting new found strength.

Boy, I'm sure glad I posted this thread! So many positive and supporting replies! I checked in here every so often today and it finally struck me. I can do this! Look at all these people who don't even know me, helping me out. How awesome is that? I am happy to report that I have made it through the day on program! I just kept thinking back to all of these replies. Thank you all so much.

Carla....I saw the other day where you were back on here. I am so happy you are back! When I saw your posts I started thinking about where I was on this plan and where I want to end up. Thank you for coming back!

Together I know we will all succeed at this and make it a life time commitment.

Thank you everyone! Let's keep each other on track!

I almost forgot.....I am hiding the scale. I am tired of jumping on it every morning and when I don't see good news I feel like throwing in the towel. I am almost tempted to tell my coach not to tell me how I did next time I weigh in. I will be able to tell if I lost or not by the way my clothes fit.

Good attitude!

I am doing like you. I am not using my scale all the time. Not even sure where I stand today. I know this isn't a game of how much I can lose each week this time. I just have to know how my close fit (looser this week btw ). I will weigh sometime next week to keep a check on how things are going but, the scale is no longer my goal. My goal is to look and feel good, wear smaller clothes, change how I eat forever no matter what the scale says.

I'm back on program too. After many false starts over the past year, I have finally dragged my sorry self through that painful first week. I feel great & the willpower is strong. i just have the feeling that i can get it done this time. Thanks to this thread, I have the courage to stop lurking & jump back into the forums.

Glad you are back on program and made it through the first week which is always hard. I too was lurking and finally decided, what the heck...I'm jumping in and getting back into the swing of things again.

Together we CAN do this

Welcome back and you will so rock it to your goal. Just have to ask, are those your bikes in your picture?? I love all the chrome and black.

This is exactly how I plan to be. I have a friend who has been maintaining for a little over a year now and she eats Phase III or close to all week and then takes the whole weekend off and she hasn't gained anything back. I even saw her eating deep fried oreos at the fair a few weeks ago. The key is getting back to it right away again before it gets out of hand.

I've had to learn that if I eat "junk" at a meal during the day, that usually means for the rest of the day I eat clean and light. It has been mostly an experimental thing for me. When I first phased off I kind of went on a carb binge - thinking - "all I have to do is get back to phase 1 and lose it", but carbs are like cigarettes and alcohol, once you indulge, it's hard to give them back up. So I try really hard not to indulge during the week, and allow myself that luxury on Sunday, so far it has worked.

This is tough, it's a decision that I make every meal. So I'm trying to be really honest and let you know how my journey has been after phasing off. I travel a lot for work, and I have had to learn to eat out alot! I don't want to be held hostage by food.

I think about starting back to lose an additional 10 lbs, but right now I have to be content to maintain the loss that I have. I have to know that I can maintain and not gain the weight back. I will only do phase 1 to lose additional weight and not to relose the weight I've already lost!

Thanks to all of you.
I woke up early having my coffee- reading paper on line and have been struggling gained back 20lbs-and for reasons unknown- clicked on website and found all of you. So thanks- I am restarting this journey and I like most of you went off the rails. I have no one to blame but myself. Didn't phase off went back to old habits-tried to modify the diet-tried using other diet plans- but the bottom line is IP works. I know it is going to be hard because I have tried to restart several times. I found this site when I started IP the first time and it helped so I came back, and am glad to have found this thread. So back to school for the kids and back to IP for me. Thanks

Glad you are back Carrie!
I was like you. In 2009 I did IP and didn't phase off... now I am wiser and know it works. It's almost like we need that HUGE mistake to realize how good we felt and looked and take it more seriously this time. lifestyle NOT diet. older and wiser.

Happy to report that I have been on program since my restart. I had no plans today and that's usually when the trouble starts with munching on no-no's. I decided to get off my fannie and work in the flower beds. Kept me busy all day which is a good thing.

Had my first weigh in this morning since being back on plan and am down 9 lbs!!! For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling good about myself and confident about my success. Wishing everyone an IDEAL week!

Thank you and yes they are a couple of my bikes that I've built and enjoyed for several years. I recently sold one of them and got something different to tinker with.

YES! Good job! That has to feel so good! Sounds like you are back with it again. That first week is always so hard. Once we make it through it, there's no stopping us now.

It looks like we are around the same weight and have the same goal. I'm a planner and am hoping to be at goal and through all the phases by December 1st. That's a year later than I had planned when I started IP last year. I guess better late than never. I put a chart up on my frig that has total weight to lose. I'm marking down the pounds and somehow that makes it easier than having my weight up there. (Also, maybe I don't want my family to see what I weigh like they can't guess by looking at me)

I'm hoping to get to my clinic today or tomorrow. Depends on what today brings for me at work. I am so looking forward to marking down some pounds on my chart.

Keep up the good work!

Good morning ladies!! I have been on maintence since May and did very well with a vacation and Vegas. Noticed last week that the scale is creeping up. I am a snacker and it shows. I love how easy my life was on this program
I just strayed a little. I keep to a Phase 3 day and if I "cheat" it is usuallyt: just a meal not a whole day. Decided today to jump on the Phase 1 wagon and get my head on straight. I really want to lose 5 lbs to get back where I was but now know that I have to watch what eat every single meal of every single day. I was relived to know that I have the tools to get back on tract!! I am not ashamed but proud that i didn't put it off one more day! Today is a new Phase 1 Day and I can do it for today!!
Needed to read these comments today!! We are in this for life!!